Source: City of Plymouth
Council leader Tudor Evans outlined his mission to ‘keep Plymouth fishing’ during a visit from Fishing Minister Daniel Zeichner and pledged to work up a package of measures designed to reinvent and reinvigorate Plymouth’s fishing industry.
The minister was in Britain’s Ocean City this week for high-level discussions over the future of the industry. Council leader Tudor Evans said: “We are a fishing port and we talked to the minister about protecting 400 jobs as well as the importance of shore side facilities
“The auction may have closed, but crews are still landing catch in huge numbers. Plymouth’s fishing industry remains strong with landings last year worth around £12m, making Plymouth the 4th largest port by landings in England.
“I was really encouraged by the signals we were getting. There are still huge potential opportunities here and we are being strongly encouraged to pull together a bid for funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, which is run by MMO.”
Ideas need to be further developed but are expected to reflect proposals put forward in a report by Tegean Mor Fisheries Ltd Consultants Ltd, which was commissioned by Sutton Harbour Company, Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association and Plymouth City Council.
They include new infrastructure on the quay to enable fishing crews to continue to land their catch effectively and more efficiently. This could include new landing cranes, access fobs and CCTV.
New uses at the site should also be explored such as improving the site’s existing retail offer, creating spaces to deliver seafood cookery classes, A national marketing campaign that focusses on the quality of the catch coming into Britain’s Ocean City could also be on the cards.
Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “Fishing has been part of our history for hundreds of years and while fishing nationally has certainly shifted and changed shape, Plymouth’s future includes this important industry. One door closes, but many more doors open.”
The fish auction at Fish Quay in Sutton Harbour stopped operating a year ago which meant fishing vessels landing fish in Plymouth no longer had a local auction to sell their catch. The fish is now transported to other local auctions such as Brixham and Newlyn.